Exposes the failure of conventional development programs to increase the living standards and political participation of the poor in seventy-four countries

This book analyses the development challenge faced by Latin America at a time at which the concerns for the large inequality in the region are at a peak. This volume focuses on growth-with-equity, and is written by an outstanding group of Latin American and international researchers and policy-makers.

Kevin Watkins analyses the manner in which the economies of East Asia have attained high economic growth rates and managed to share the prosperity widely. A caveat is included as some groups have been excluded from these benefits on ethnic grounds.

Even in impoverished countries lacking material and human resources, P. T. Bauer argues, economic growth is possible under the right conditions. These include a certain amount of thrift and enterprise among the people, social mores and traditions which sustain them, and a firm but limited government which permits market forces to work. Challenging many views about development that are widely held, Bauer takes on squarely the notion that egalitarianism is an appropriate goal. He goes on to argue that the population explosion of less-developed countries has on the whole been a voluntary phenomenon and that each new generation has lived better than its forebears. He also critically examines the notion that the policies and practices of Western nations have been responsible for third world poverty. In a major chapter, he reviews the rationalizations for foreign aid and finds them weak; while in another he shows that powerful political clienteles have developed in the Western nations supporting the foreign aid process and probably benefiting more from it than the alleged recipients. Another chapter explores the link between the issue of Special Drawing Rights by the International Monetary Fund on the one hand and the aid process on the other. Throughout the book, Bauer carefully examines the evidence and the light it throws on the propositions of development. Although the results of his analysis contradict the conventional wisdom of development economics, anyone who is seriously concerned with the subject must take them into account.

Developing countries need to design projects to increase the growth and wellness of its human population, which involves the inclusion of topics associated directly with the sustainable development of these countries and their particular social problems. This book examines the interrelations between development, growth, the environment and inequality, especially in developing countries and taking into account qualitative and quantitative approaches. Increasing welfare of the population is important to the increase of human development through the improvement of developmental and environmental conditions, generating sustainable development where it is key to seek changes in public policies, economic, technological and social factors. This book aims to analyse different contexts from micro to macro level relationships between development, growth, inequality, environment and human development, and evaluate what the actual conditions in emerging economies are and how developing new strategies could improve the well-being of developing countries. The book is organised as follows: Saiz-Alvarez and Gamez identify the main components to propose an entrepreneurship model that includes distance, education, and information and communication technologies (ICTs) as alternatives to generate wealth and development in developing countries. In Chapter Two, Cutolo etal. describes an approach to current situations of water vulnerability in watersheds of metropolitan regions in tropical countries of South America, and the importance to improve the strategies to promote environmental health in these regions. In Chapter Three, Hashim shows a comparison from a historical point of view between two crops, one of them native to South America (quinoa) and the other from Africa (pearl millet). The comparison leads to the questions of whether or not reflexions consider pearl millet as an alternative to food security in African countries and as an incentive for women farmers. In Chapter Four, Palmer and Correa applied three groundwater indicators: a groundwater extraction indicator, a groundwater extraction for public supply per capita indicator and a groundwater vulnerability indicator to describe the different characteristics of the environment and propose this analysis as a tool to make decisions in environmental management within the Cove Basin at the Island of San Andrés (Colombia). Correa in Chapter Five analyses and assesses the impact that poverty and access to water have on labor productivity of the economically active population in Colombia. In Chapter Six, Daronco and Wartchow clarify how the Brazilian policies about water resources have been based on the laws developed at the time of discovery in 1500. Additionally, it regards the culminating active level in the National Water Resources System (NWRS) today. Finally, Castellanos conducts a search and reflection of bioethical dilemmas in veterinary medicine, identifying sources of stress and coping strategies in Chapter Seven.

Equity is an abstract concept covering philosophical issues such as fairness and social justice, making its definition and measurement complex. This volume tackles these complexities head-on. The book is enriched with many empirical analyses and provides a comprehensive analysis of equity ranging from concepts and measurements to empirical illustrations and policy implications. After an extensive discussion on equity in the introduction, this volume begins with a chapter on well-being where the concepts of functioning and capability are discussed. This is followed by a few chapters on what an equitable distribution is and how equity can be measured. The volume then provides a definition and a methodology to measure equitable growth, examining the relationship between growth, inequality, and poverty. It also presents various empirical illustrations and country-specific experiences with three country case studies which assess whether publicly provided health and education services are equitable in developing Asia, examining the extent to which these social services favor the poor as well as the policy challenges to a more equitable delivery of these services. Finally, these country studies provide evidence–based policy recommendations to improve equity in social service delivery in developing countries. Achieving social equity has long been an important policy goal. There are relatively few studies on equity. This book aims to help fill this gap with an in-depth analysis of the issues associated with equity, covering its concept, measurement, and policy practices and implications.

The International Forum for Social Development was a 3 year project undertaken by the United Nations. Department of Economic and Social Affairs between 2001 and 2004 to promote international cooperation for social development and supporting developing countries and social groups not benefiting from the globalization process. This publication provides an overview and interpretation of the discussions and debates that occurred at the four meetings of the Forum for Social Development held at the United Nations headquarters in New York, within the framework of the implementation of the outcome of the World Summit for Social Development.

For nearly two decades the U.S. economy has been plagued by two disturbing economic trends: the slowdown in the growth rates of productivity and average real wages and the increase in wage and income inequality. The federal budget is in chronic deficit. Imports have far exceeded exports for more than a decade. American competitiveness has been a source of concern for even longer. Many Americans worry that foreigners are buying up U.S. companies, that the economy is losing its manufacturing base, and that the gap between rich and poor is widening. In this book three of the nation's most noted economists look at the primary reasons for these trends and assess which of the many suggestions for change in policy—whether for increased tax incentives for investment, education reform, or accelerated research and development—are likely to work and which may not work and could even hinder economic development. The author's discuss a variety of issues connected with deindustrialization and diminished competitiveness, distinguishing between problems that would be of real concern and those that should not. They evaluate explanations for slow growth in aggregate productivity in the United States and its relation to slower growth in other industrialized countries. They discuss the performance of the various sectors of the U.S. economy and systematically examine the evidence for and against the major proposals for correcting the adverse trends in productivity and inequity. Growth With Equity clearly explains how the country can accomplish the challenge of accelerating growth and narrowing the gap that separates the rich from the poor. While recognizing that some of their recommendations may be politically painful, the authors stress the importance of adopting a purposeful, long-range policy to encourage growth, ensure equity, and reduce the government's equity.

The book, which draws on data published by the World Bank, is addressed to teachers, students, and all those interested in exploring issues of global development.